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The one thing I am learning is that the Craftsman on this website give the best advice and put out products out that are truly amazing. My family has been in the saddle and tack buisness for over a hundred years, and I have learned as much from them about the buisness and craftmanship as I did watching my Father in his shop. It is like going back to collage without the crap. It inspires me to build much better products and charge what I should for my skills. Many thanks to all of you and I hope you can put up with my advice( wich is worth as much as you paid for it). Tim

Kieth, My store will be open now a year. To make sure I could pay the bills I do all kind of work like Bible covers, belts, table coverings and lots of saddle repair. I have been hand sewing everything. My buisness has been growing and I am behind in orders and have just bought a sewing machine. The saddles I have built (6) have been very good quality, plain, with things on it that working Cowboys need. I was a ranch manager for 15 years so I had installed diffrent things on my saddle that alot of the Hands in my area like. In that short paragraph you have found mistakes that I have made and maybe you could point out some diffrent trails I could go. I cannot keep the saddles I make in the store because the sell while I am making them, but I have alot of cheap saddles also plus a pretty full line of other tack. The question I am asking should I slow down on small leather work and consentrate on custom saddles or find that balance, either way I want my buisness to grow. Tim

Blake, Yes Sir I have a store front on 212 West First street. Tim

Thank You both for the info Tim

All price ranges I guess. I have some people that just want a little sparkle on a pleasure and and some that want to go fullout. Tim

I do charge time and a half shop rate Tim

How are yall, When I clean a saddle I start with a good saddle soap, I use Fiebings saddle soap. I do not let the saddle dry completely. When the leather starts to change back to orginal color I apply a mix of 1 cup pure neatsfoot oil, 1 cup anhydrous lanolin ( melted ), 1 oz ceder oil, and 4oz beeswax ( melted ). Rub into leather and let set. Tim

I would like to know if anyone knows a good place to buy quality silver for saddles Tim

I have saddles in my shop that I have bought ie. Saddle King, Billy Cook, and some mexican saddles. The saddles that I build are in a seperate part of the store. My customer base is more the actual working cowboy ( we have alot of feed lots and pre-conditioning ranches around here ) and they want a simple but super strong style. The next group of customers are the weekend riders who want to ride as a form of entertainment and relaxation. I am just starting in the custom end and finding it hard to deal with some peoples whims. Tim

I fix alot of padded seats and use a neoprene pad. You can buy it in 1/4" increments( thickness ). This is a closed cell foam that does not absorbe water and does not have memory. It is a little expensive. but I have exellent responce from my customers. I also use a 1/2" neoprene foam in some linings. Tim

Bruce, I agree that narrow bar don't make a narrow seat, and I believe it is mostly in ground seat. If I may ask what saddle tree co. are you talking about. I have not been making saddles on my own enough to know this comany. The way you talk they know what they are doing. Tim

How yall doing, My Grandfather used ( as do I ) 1 cup pure neatsfoot oil, 1 cup pure lanolin, 1 oz ceader oil, 4oz melted beeswax. Melt the lanolin and add to neatfoot oil in a blender on high add ceader oil then melted beeswax.Blend a few minutes and pour in jar or can.let harden. When you apply the neatsfoot oil and lanolin soaks in and this leaves a beeswax coating that does not leave heavy residue but will seal the leather.The ceader oil will help stop any mold or mildew. Tim

Bruce, With the narrow bar does the affect the gullet depth and hight. The problem is she rides throubreds and I am worried about gullet rubbing the higher withers Tim

How are yall doing, My name is Tim Woods and I own and operate Woods Saddlery and Tack in Cameron, Texas. My family has been in the saddlery and tack buisness for over a hundred years, but I have just gotten back in it in the past year. It has taken a while to get back the old skills, but I am making some good products. Good to meet yall Tim

See if anyone has heard of a Lady Wade or Wade Lite saddle. I have a client the expressed intrest in this. I am trying not to look like a moron I looked it up on the internet. McCall Saddlery offers this and says it narrowed down with a inskirt rigging. I am wondering if the build the ground seat diffrent or if the tree has been narrowed down? Tim Woods

I lightly mark one line then I center the tool and go on from there. it takes alot of practice, One gentleman told you that the tool lines itself up and that is correct. Where my shop is in central Texas everyone wants basketweave so I get alot of practice. Sometimes I even dream that I am basketweaving. Not a good thing. Tim

I have some pictures on my web site www.woodssaddleryandtack.com Go to the products page

Good Morning, My name is Tim Woods, I own and operate Woods Saddlery and Tack in downtown Cameron, Texas. My family has been in the saddle and tack buisness for over a hundred years. After collage I left the buisness to be a ranch forman then manager, also did some horse training. After my boss sold the ranch (he was getting long in the tooth) I opened my shop. From my experiance on the ranch I have built several saddles with things that I needed on my saddle. They have sold well. My best selling item have been my extra heavy duty tack and chaps. Good to meet yall Tim